6 VIP Keys (gifted from the developers last year, just never used them)

How is all this even remotely possible?

Six words, including these: Treasure Hunt.

Consistently multi-vaulting in the Treasure Hunt mini game will net you the best chances at accumulating the required resources to bolster your account.

Doesn’t hurt to possess a modicum of determination, either.

Call this a “low-level, solo run,” or sorts.

A few notes on my account:

My VIP Level is 0, but my Hero is represented by a Dwarven Avatar, which is a purchasable item in the shop. Back when Stonehammer was released on consoles, my original avatar was switched into a dwarf numerous times, and I just never bothered changing my hero back. Thus, it remains. Also, looks slick with the Celestial Armor, no?

A vast majority of Arcane Traitstones were acquired by way of Treasure Hunt, including the keys used to open Gem and Glory chests, which then occasionally dropped Arcanes. The remaining were obtained via Glory Bundles.

My first Legendary drop was Hydra, via Glory chest.

My first fully traited troop was Valkyrie.

My first Mythic troop, Elemaugrim, was obtained whilst opening Glory chests one at a time, after nine months.

My second Mythic troop was The Worldbreaker, which dropped from a Gem chest opening not a month later.

While attempting (and failing) to acquire the two Legendary Troops from Dhrak-Zum before the Event Week, War dropped for me from Gem chests.

In the long run, RNG is on your side.

Quick shout-outs to @Lyya and @Taransworld for their awesome resources available to the entire player base.

Also, the developers, for generosity with their time and a willingness to address issues and the like. Many thanks.

And, the forum members. Thank you all for providing a genuinely unique experience.

Quick edit: at 11:53pm, ET (June 7), while fervently playing through maps to acquire keys for precious last chances at pulling Ubastet, I was able to get the Mythic to drop while opening Glory Chests from a batch of six keys rewarded via vault creation in Treasure Hunt.

So, if my math is correct, the total resource cost in obtaining this Mythic (spent over the entire week the Mythic was exclusive to corresponding chests):

688 Gem Keys

606 Glory Keys (with the last six earned and opened to finally acquire Ubastet)

a few Gems shy of 6,100

And, if I had to do it again, just to recapture that feeling of elation, I believe that I would.

Besides, the resources spent did afford me the copies needed to ascend a few troops to Mythic, like Crimson Bat, Emperor Khorvash, Marilith, The Great Maw and Webspinner. A few other troops such as ,Forest Guardian, Gorgotha, Hellcat, Krystenax, Queen Mab, Queen Titania, The Dragon Soul and Yao Guai are one copy away from Mythic ascension.

I almost feel like we all play for those moments when RNG favors us.

Another edit: ten days after acquiring Ubastet, I’ve been able to build my resources back up a bit.

From zero Gem and Glory keys, I’m now at 126 and 703, respectively, and from a low of 1,127 gems back then, I’m a bit healthier atm with 2,870.

At current count, 325+ troops are at Mythic, 181+ troops are fully traited.

Still at Hero Level 37.

Maybe, a final edit with the 3.5 update:

In before the kingdom nerf!?

Looks like, I may have to actually play this game now.

So, another edit with the 4.0 update:

Amassed 795 Gem keys and still contemplating on going for a Megavore or two, but I may have used up any RNG blessings, as I just pulled an Infernus from Event Chests.

The cost: 2,025 gems. Totally worth it.

Also, on the last day of Megavore exclusivity, I pulled one with ten Glory keys (and 831 Gem keys… ).

Got one, at least.

Edit:

During the Stormheim event week, with a handful of event keys, I decided to open event chests one by one. Gotnar Jotnar!?

So, at Hero Level 37 (still), I now possess eight Mythics, with four being fully traited (and with the traitstones available to fully trait one more).

Edit:

Currently, amassed 502 gem keys and 1,200 glory keys for chances at the new Mythic being released in a few hours. Accumulated over 6,300 gems, as well.

And, turns out that this string of favorable RNG continues for me, as I was able to get Fallen Valdis to drop from eight gold keys (to warm up the RNG), ten gem keys, and 650 glory keys. A good majority of my key and gem stack remains intact.

And, another edit (should probably clean up this post a bit… I’ll get to it eventually):

During the Whitehelm event week, dropped eighty-one event keys in hopes of acquiring the new Legendary, and possibly Gard’s Avatar. Got 'em both.

Also, picked up High King Irongut the first day of release in only eleven gem keys and 351 glory keys. A week later, had a Pharos-Ra drop whilst opening gem keys in bundles of fifty (dropped on the fifth bundle).

Additionally, it only took two gem keys to acquire Phoenicia. (Oh, and the few hundred gold keys to warm up the RNG. )

Just a quick note to those who may consider embarking on such a journey:

You will find that it will no longer be possible to maintain such a low level if power leveling kingdoms is prioritized, as some of the requirements will make it necessary for you to gain experience.

This account is/was merely an example of how healthy one player could build an entirely F2P account by their lonesome.

Not something I would ever consider doing due to not wanting to shut myself out of 95% of game’s content and own a piece of land on the Moon (I think having a bunch of cards collecting dust on a shelf is basically that), but kudos and congratulations to your for your persistence (is this the right term to use?)!

On the technical side:

what else do you do apart from Treasure hunt? You said “six words”, didn’t you?

IIRC, I unlocked the “Finish the Tutorial” achievement in January of last year (2017).

As for joining a Guild to facilitate progress… I specifically approached the game intent on doing things by myself, as sort of a challenge, if you will. Also, I did not want to be beholden to a Guild.

I wouldn’t consider it a waste of my time. It was/is an engaging activity for me. I just like matching stuff, and if I get rewarded for it, and can then use those rewards towards collecting really cool troops to look at with what’s left of my vision, then I’m down.

what else do you do apart from Treasure hunt? You said “six words”, didn’t you?

how do you obtain treasure maps?

The “six words” was an attempt (and fail) at humor. “Six words, including these: Treasure Hunt.” That would be six total words.

As far as obtaining maps, for a while, I would farm them in Broken Spire, Stone Wall Challenge, iirc.

My team was comprised of Templar, Tyri, Paladin and Lance Knight, as those were the troops I had early on, and they seemed to have decent synergy. Plus, way early on, when I didn’t have the souls to level them, they (the Knights) had a few bonuses that helped.

The strategy was to take out Luther with my targeting damage source (Paladin) before he cast his Attack buff, Stone Giant and Archon Statue were then eliminated, leaving Fortress Gate. I would allow FG to take brown mana and cast, while I used Templar to tank and “green” the board, while buffing up everyone’s armor, and Tyri, when ready, would cast to gain all her mana back (targeting green or purple mana) and have a chance at a map.

I would do this until for each battle until I maxed out the map cap, which was twenty at the time (yes, that long ago). There was no 4x Animation Speed, either, so you can imagine how long matches could/would take if RNG decided to troll me.

Now, I just redeem my Glory that I earn through Treasure Hunt and tributes for maps at the Glory Shop.

My account is kind of a “machine” in that way. I haven’t leveled up since last summer some time, and that was the last time I farmed maps.